Basking in Bangkok

Australia's favourite food blogger Not Quite Nigella, aka Lorraine Elliott, makes a long-overdue return to Thailand to be pampered at the Metropolitan Hotel.

I’m counting with my fingers (yes I still do that), and I try and recall the last time that I visited Thailand…I’m not surprised to see that in the distance of time and in my mind’s eye things look quite different. I breathe in the air and I know that I am home again. That is, my home away from home in Asia…

Twenty-five minutes into the ride from the airport we pull up to the entrance of the Metropolitan Hotel. Located in the CBD area on South Sathorn Road, it’s said to be a happening area with plenty of the chic luxe brands opening up there. It is located about a ten minute walk to the Skytrain and within walking distance of shops, malls and busy streets teeming with street food…Things are sleek, modern and luxurious. Flawlessly deferential staff wearing Commes des Garcons clothing and Calvin Klein shoes are charming and offer the Thai wai greeting: hands pressed together as if in prayer and a slight bow.

I make my way up to the room 818 on the eighth floor (how’s that number for good luck?). It’s a large space and one of the Met rooms, which is the most popular and common room type…The room is minimalist and modern and I’ll admit that it didn’t wow me at first but after a day or two I did grow to appreciate the lack of clutter. The king bed is one of the most comfortable beds I’ve slept in; the Egyptian cotton sheets are smooth as silk and the goose down duvet is heavenly…The doorbell rings. It’s a delivery of fresh fruit and a freshly brewed tea to welcome and refresh the weary traveller.

The bathroom is large too with a single sink (although the tap could be a bit smoother but I’m being picky here) and the walls and floor are made with limestone and mosaic. Beautifully scented Como Shambhala products feature…and the Giorgio Armani designed robes are excellent and perfect for the warm weather. There were a couple of glitches: the safe and iron were not working and had to be fixed.

There are a few other features of Como Hotels and this one in particular is known for its food. There are two restaurants, the most famous being David Thompson’s Nahm restaurant…and Glow, a popular restaurant for breakfast and lunch.

Now readers that have seen my story on what I eat in a week may recall that I usually skip breakfast. But here I need to make a concerted effort to go every day because once I see the breakfast a la carte menu I’m rather smitten…

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